The Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) is calling for the simplification and acceleration of authorization procedures for railway infrastructure projects, warning that administrative delays continue to affect the implementation of the TEN-T network.
The industry’s position comes after the publication of the updated report by the European Court of Auditors on transport megaprojects, which concludes that the goal of completing the core TEN-T network by 2030 will not be achieved, despite the commitments made at European Union level.
Authorizations, a major factor in delays
According to the CER, one of the main obstacles to the implementation of infrastructure projects is the complexity of authorization procedures, which are characterized by multiple, lengthy, and often uncoordinated processes between Member States.
These delays particularly affect cross-border projects and missing segments of the TEN-T network, significantly increasing implementation costs.
The Court of Auditors’ report points out that delays are also amplified by external factors, such as recent crises and the geopolitical context, which have led to a review of the 2030 deadline assessment.
Pressure on the Commission and Member States
In this context, the CER calls on the European Commission to speed up the revision of the Smart TEN-T Directive, adopted in 2021, and to propose additional measures to reduce bureaucracy in rail projects.
The organization also draws attention to the fact that infringement proceedings have been initiated against five Member States for failure to properly implement the directive, calling for its urgent transposition into national legislation.
Funding and coordination
The CER reiterates the need to increase the budget of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) after 2027, given that rail infrastructure costs continue to rise.
The industry is calling for a minimum level of funding of EUR 100 billion to ensure the implementation of TEN-T projects and the achievement of sustainability and resilience objectives.
The Court of Auditors’ report also highlights coordination problems in the implementation of the European Rail Traffic Management System.
In this regard, the CER supports the creation of a dedicated program manager, under the coordination of the European Commission, to ensure consistency and compliance with the implementation timetable at European level.
“The Court of Auditors’ report clearly shows that delays can no longer be treated as exceptions. Simpler and faster authorization procedures are essential, especially for cross-border projects,” said Alberto Mazzola, Executive Director of the CER.
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